Hi Quicksilver mac:
I just noticed your thread, so I figured I would advise you of my past experience.
The 512ke, which was upgraded to an 87 Plus, began suffering from some sort of video distortion everytime I turned it on. A flicker here, a garbled character there, things like that. After two days of owning this unique computer, suddenly the flickering when out of control (the image on the display was shrinking & growing), so naturally I switched off the computer using my Kensington Mac System Saver. After two minutes, I switched it back on, and low-and-behold a bright vertical line appeared on the screen (thank Christ is was not a fine vertical line, or else the damn thing may have caught fire).
Naturally, I was pissed off, and I advised the seller, who claimed that everything was in working condition (cosmetic appearances are deceiving). Although he refused to reimburse me for repairs, he did give me an Apple SC20 drive (see the post on that one), an ImageWriter II, and a host of other software discs for this computer.
Long story short- I went to this TV tech, whom I have known for close to 10 years. Previously, he had completed some service work on my Panasonic AG-1980 duplicator, and my JVC HR-D725U VCR. Both units are fine now, and the cost of repair was fairly inexpensive (about $80 w. tax for both units) in comparison to other repair shops, who charge $60+ just to look at the damn things. He knew what the problem was right away, and replaced about 4 capacitors (the original ones were 850v; he gave me 870s, which were all manufactured by GE). He also relubricated the Kensington cooling fan, which had begun to seize, free of charge, in addition to the 800k floppy drive (his wife is a bit of a Mac nut, and insisted that he treat this vintage Mac properly).
Bottom line- the capacitors on your 128k need to be replaced. Check to see if they are 850v. If they are, they are probably the original caps, and have basically completed their life cycle. Naturally, look for leaks, and cracks. The heat generated from the CRT in the 128 may have caused damage to other vital components. I would definitely advise getting a hold on a Kensington System Saver. It does work.
I hope this helps. If you are unable in finding a TV repair centre in your area, look for a vintage computer user group. They are out there.
I just noticed your thread, so I figured I would advise you of my past experience.
The 512ke, which was upgraded to an 87 Plus, began suffering from some sort of video distortion everytime I turned it on. A flicker here, a garbled character there, things like that. After two days of owning this unique computer, suddenly the flickering when out of control (the image on the display was shrinking & growing), so naturally I switched off the computer using my Kensington Mac System Saver. After two minutes, I switched it back on, and low-and-behold a bright vertical line appeared on the screen (thank Christ is was not a fine vertical line, or else the damn thing may have caught fire).
Naturally, I was pissed off, and I advised the seller, who claimed that everything was in working condition (cosmetic appearances are deceiving). Although he refused to reimburse me for repairs, he did give me an Apple SC20 drive (see the post on that one), an ImageWriter II, and a host of other software discs for this computer.
Long story short- I went to this TV tech, whom I have known for close to 10 years. Previously, he had completed some service work on my Panasonic AG-1980 duplicator, and my JVC HR-D725U VCR. Both units are fine now, and the cost of repair was fairly inexpensive (about $80 w. tax for both units) in comparison to other repair shops, who charge $60+ just to look at the damn things. He knew what the problem was right away, and replaced about 4 capacitors (the original ones were 850v; he gave me 870s, which were all manufactured by GE). He also relubricated the Kensington cooling fan, which had begun to seize, free of charge, in addition to the 800k floppy drive (his wife is a bit of a Mac nut, and insisted that he treat this vintage Mac properly).
Bottom line- the capacitors on your 128k need to be replaced. Check to see if they are 850v. If they are, they are probably the original caps, and have basically completed their life cycle. Naturally, look for leaks, and cracks. The heat generated from the CRT in the 128 may have caused damage to other vital components. I would definitely advise getting a hold on a Kensington System Saver. It does work.
I hope this helps. If you are unable in finding a TV repair centre in your area, look for a vintage computer user group. They are out there.